Check The Biodiversity Values Map For Your Lot

A 2023 biodiversity assessment for a development site at the junction of Wallarah Road and the Pacific Highway found that the land is on the NSW Biodiversity Values Map as important habitat for the Swift Parrot. Because of that, clearing native vegetation there automatically triggered the Biodiversity Offsets Scheme, and the assessment also applied a clearing area threshold of 0.25 ha for the site. That is a consultant’s report for one site, not a map of the suburb, but it shows that mapped land exists in Kanwal.

On mapped land, council’s tree chapter doesn’t apply, and approval for larger clearing goes to the Native Vegetation Panel instead. The details are on our home page and our land clearing page. The assessment lists swamp mahogany, spotted gum and red bloodwood among the winter-flowering trees Swift Parrots favour, so those are worth identifying if you have large trees on a bushland-edge block.

Swamp Forest Trees On Low-Lying Land

The same assessment mapped the vegetation along a drainage channel on that site as a swamp forest community, and treated it as the endangered Swamp Sclerophyll Forest on Coastal Floodplains. It did so even though the vegetation was in poor condition, applying the precautionary principle. The typical trees of this community include broad-leaved paperbark and swamp mahogany, with cheese tree in the lower layer.

Before You Book In Kanwal

• Check the Biodiversity Values Map for your lot, and ask council on 02 4306 7900 which rules apply to your zoning.
• Have the species identified, especially paperbark, swamp mahogany and other large winter-flowering trees.
• Check for a drainage line or creek near the tree. Land within 40 m of a creek bank has its own rules, explained on our Erina page.
• Check for a development consent on your land or the block beside you.
• If a storm has brought a tree down, start with our emergency tree removal page.
• Decide about the stump. Our stump grinding page covers the options.